1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a governor system for engine starters of automobiles and motorcycles.
More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved governor system which, with a simple construction, can reliably prevent undesirable premature retracting movement of the rotating clutch.
The present invention also relates to an improved governor system which, with a simple construction, permits reduction of impact to the clutch when it is brought into intermeshing engagement with the input gear of the engine.
2. Description of Related Art
There is one known governor system including the single-direction rotation clutch operatively connected to the motor driven gear shaft via a helical spline disposed on the gear shaft, in which the inner and outer clutch members rotate together with the rotation shaft to transmit rotation to the engine, and the clutch is moved forward along the helical spline by the angular momentum of the motor to thereby bring the pinion gear disposed at its front portion into intermeshing engagement with the ring gear provided at the engine for starting the same.
This known engine starter is provided with the governor system to prevent retracting movement of the pinion gear to prevent undesirable retracting movement of the one way rotation clutch during operation. The governor system includes a governor weight means disposed at the rear portion of the clutch such that the governor weight means moves forward as the clutch moves forward while rotating. Then at this forward position, the weight means is displaced radially outwards by the centrifugal force of the clutch rotation. Thus, the displaced weight means engages with a stepped portion of the open end of the governor casing or receptacle so as to be locked and prevented from retracting itself. This known mechanism is constructed such that the governor weight moves forward together with the clutch, and thus the engagement of the weight means against the clutch increases the total weight of the rotating mass, which consequently increases the angular momentum of the clutch. This increased momentum leads to an adversely increased impact upon the pinion gear and the ring gear when they intermesh with each other.
Japanese Examined Patent Publications Nos. 2-14547 and 3-75750 disclose a governor system having a weight means composed of a pair of separate arc shaped governor weight members rotatably supported respectively such that the center of gravity of the governor weight means is located eccentrically or off the rotation axis. In this arrangement, a heavier member of the weight means located at one radial side of the gear shaft moves outwardly due to the centrifugal force of the gear shaft rotation, thus causing the other member or lighter member at the opposite radial side of the shaft to move inwardly or toward the latter, thereby preventing the clutch from moving rearwardly in the axial direction to the retracted position.